Spurs sue INEOS Automotive over unpaid £5m+ sponsorship, INEOS counter-claim for £1m

   Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have never particularly liked each other on the pitch and now they’ve taken their mutual dislike to the courtroom with United minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Automotive firing back at Tottenham Hotspur with a counter-suit exceeding £1 million, escalating a bitter legal battle that began when Spurs sued for £11 million in June.

The dispute began as a failed sponsorship deal signed in December 2022. The five-year agreement was meant to give INEOS commercial rights for their Grenadier brand in exchange for £17.5 million in fees. Instead, it has become a courtroom nightmare with the only winners being lawyers.

Tottenham claims they terminated the deal in March 2024, citing INEOS’s failure to pay nearly £480,000 in indexation fees (due August 2024) and a £5.1 million sponsorship payment (due December 2024). They’re seeking over £5.2 million in damages for breach of contract.

Not surprisingly, INEOS tells a different story. They argue they properly terminated the agreement in December 2024, effective June 30, 2025, making those payments unnecessary. Their counter-suit demands £1,073,972.60 for 112 days when Tottenham allegedly denied them commercial rights between March and June 2025.

This case would be your standard run-of-the-mill contract dispute until you factor in the with references to Harry Kane’s 2023 transfer to Bayern Munich. INEOS alleges Tottenham improperly negotiated with competitor Audi during Kane’s move, violating exclusivity terms. This led to contract modifications giving INEOS termination rights after three years with six months’ notice.

Both sides now await their day in court, with millions hanging in the balance over a partnership that promised mutual benefit but delivered only legal bills.